MY TOADS. 151 



were clean and lively, so as to writhe about in that 

 manner which a toad cannot resist. They were cap- 

 tured after the usual custom^ namely, by a sudden 

 * flick ' of the curious tongue, which is so rapidly 

 moved that with the most careful attention the eye 

 can only distinguish a pink streak appear and as sud- 

 denly vanish. A slight slapping sound is heard as the 

 tongue is thrown towards the prey. 



The fact has long been known, but the details have, 

 I believe, not yet been fully described. It is by no 

 means necessary, as has been repeatedly asserted, for the 

 toad to remain motionless, with its eyes intently fixed 

 on its victim. On the contrary, I have often seen the 

 toad catch beetles in spots where it could not see them, 

 and without even attempting to look for them. The 

 tongue can be flung in any direction, and always with 

 equal certainty of aim, at right angles to the head for 

 example, out of either corner of the mouth, or even 

 under the body. I have repeatedly seen the creature 

 aim at an insect that was crawling under its body, and 

 mostly with success ; if not so, a second shot was sure 

 to be effectual. 



I used frequently to feed them with blue- bottle flies, 

 by the simple process of putting them into the fern- 

 case and closing the entrance. In spite of the wings 

 and activity of the insect, the toad was sure to have it 

 before long. At the first buzz the toad would come 

 all in a hurry out of his hole, tumbling over stones and 

 sticks in his eagerness, and evidently listening for the 



